Dispensing hopper wheelbarrow



April 17, 1962 J. K. COOPER 3,0 9, 84

DISPENSING HOPPER WHEELBARROW Filed Jan. 17, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1" John K. Cooper INVENTOR.

BY WW fi April 17, 1962 J. K. COOPER DISPENSING HOPPER WHEELBARROW 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 17, 1958 John K. Cooper,

INVENTOR.

9 BY wands 42 vrJJIIIIIIIIJILIJIIIIA nite The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a wheelbarrow, that is, a novelly and distinct construction the bottom of which is readily openable and closable by way of a latch released bottom.

Stated otherwise, the concept has to do with a wheelbarrow which is characterized by a truncated body defining a downwardly tapering hopper for the load, and a vertically swingable bottom hingedly mounted at one end and which under the weight of the load, when the bottom is released, becomes a trap door as well as a chute to facilitate emptying the hopper.

Wheelbarrows wherein a dump-type of bottom is employed are not new. For example the Tyler patent covers such a construction, said patent identified as 1,070,308. The object of the instant invention is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon the stated patent and any other similarly constructed and performing wheelbarrows (of which a number have been patented) wherein the original concept was predicated on achieving the same general objectives herein under consideration. Instead of employing a pair of downwardly converging doors the improvement under consideration pertains to a simple fiat plate forming a single door and hingedly mounted at the forward end and held up in closed postion at the rearward end by an easily trippable latch.

Novelty is also predicated on a simple wheelbarrow body with an equally simple trap door and wherein said body is suspended between cooperating members of a frame which serve to support the body and the load therein in such a Way that the center of gravity is sufiiciently lowered that the average person may easily balance, or otherwise handle a loaded wheelbarrow.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wheelbarrow constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and with portions broken away to show the chain and coacting components;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the construction seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view, that is a view observing FIGS. 1 and 2 in a direction from left to right;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a fragmentary nature and in section and elevation taken approximately on the plane of the line 55 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in section and elevation detailing the latch construction and showing how it cocoperates with the adjacentedge portion of the lowerable trap door; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the chain and its cooperating components.

Referring now to the views of the drawings with the aid of reference numerals and leadlines the hopper or body of the wheelbarrow is denoted generally by the numeral 8. This comprises a receptacle or hopper having longitudinal side walls 10, a rearward wall 12 and a forward wall 14 shaped to provide a scoop-like loading and unloading end. The walls together form a sort of truncated pyramid, as it were, and the open bottom thus proatent vided is opened and closed by way of a simple flat bottom, trap door, wall or plate 16. This completely covers the opening and is hinged at its forward end as at 18. The rearward edge portion 20 abuts the lower edge of the wall 12 where it is held in its up or elevated position by the projecting nose 22 of a simple latch 24. The latch has its upper end hingedly bracketed in place on the median portion of the wall 12 at 26. There is a return spring 28 provided to keep the latch closed and this spring bears against a thrust plate or an abutment 36 incorporated in a fixture 32 which is generally U-shaped and has fixed on its bight portion in communication therewith an upstanding tubular guide 34 through which a pull cord or rope, wire or the like 36 is slidably operable. There is a finger gripping knob 38 on the upper end of the cord and the lower end portion is connected at 40 with a projecting trip finger or trigger l2 on the latch. A simple sheave or guide pulley 44 in the bight portion of the fixture 32 below the guide tube 34 serves to direct the pull cord into proper cooperating relation with the finger 42. All of these features will be found clearly illustrated in FIG. 5.

With reference now to FIG. 7 and the other figures in which corresponding parts can be seen only smaller, the numeral 46 designates a chain the lower end of which is secured at 48 to a lug 50 fixed on an edge portion of the trap door, that is the edge portion 52. The upper free end portion of the chain 46 is adjustably and releasably engageable with keeper notches 54 provided in a keeper plate 56 fastened on a frame 58 in which the hopper 8 is mounted. Thus, coacting means is provided on the frame 58 and the bottom 16 whereby said bottom may be adjusted to varying positions as illustrated in full and phantom lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

The frame 58 comprises upper longitudinal tubular members 60 suitably shaped and joined with a reinforcing cross member 62 and then with a yoke 64 pivotally supporting a single wheel 66. The handles are denoted at 68. The legs are of general V-shape form and are denoted by the numerals 70 and include rearward legs 72 and forward legs 74 joined suitably with the yoke and joined to each other by way of an appropriate. bend or bent portion 76 forming a ground engaging foot. An additional cross brace 78 is seen in FIG. 3. Extending between the forward portions of the legs 74 is a brace 84?. The idea, however, is having the V-shaped legs on opposite sides, the yoke at the front carrying the freely rotatable wheel and the substantially rectangular frame at the top with the body or hopper setting down in the frame and suspended between the legs in the manner illustrated.

With the construction shown the support rails (not shown) are removed from the bottom of the bed and the bed suspended in the frame, thereby lowering the center of gravity, (1) making the barrow easier managed when loaded, (2) easier unloaded, (3) may be operated by a much less robust person, (4) gives more rigidity to the frame and bed.

The drop bottom (approximately 20" by 22") when tripped drops to the ground thereby leaving an adequate opening to relieve the load. The return or check chain by a pull from the operator, returns the drop bottom to its original locked position. By adjustments on the check chain a load may be dumped piece meal as in spreading fertilizers or dirt.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equiva- Patented Apr. 17, 19 62 3 lents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A wheelbarrow comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a supporting wheel on one end of the frame, a pair of handles on the other end of the frame, a hopper mounted in the frame and including downwardly convergent front and rear walls and further including a flat bottom hingedly mounted on said front wall and vertically swingable downwardly and forwardly for discharging the load by gravity in a rearward direction from the hopper and distributing said load uniformly on the ground as the wheelbarrow is moved forwardly thereover, means on the hopper engageable with the bottom for releasably securing said bottom in closed position, and coacting means on the bottom and the frame for adjusting said bottom for regulating the discharge of the load.

2. A wheelbarrow comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a supporting wheel on one end of the frame, a pair of handles on the other end of the frame, a hopper mounted in the frame and including downwardly convergent front and rear walls and further including a flat bottom hingedly mounted on said front wall and vertically swingable downwardly and forwardly for discharging the load by gravity in a rearward direction from the hopper and distributing said load uniformly on the ground as the wheelbarrow is moved forwardly thereover, means on the hopper engageable with the bottom for releasably securing said bottom in closed position, and means for adjusting the bottom for regulating the discharge of the load, the last-named means including a keeper mounted on the frame, and a chain having one end connected to the bottom and comprising links selectively engageable with the keeper for supporting said bottom in adjusted positions, said chain further providing means for manually returning the bottom to closed position.

3. A wheelbarrow comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a supporting wheel on one end of the frame, a pair of handles on the other end of the frame, a hopper mounted in the frame and including downwardly convergent front and rear walls and further including a flat bottom hingedly mounted on said front wall and vertically swingable downwardly and forwardly for discharging the load by gravity in a rearward direction from the hopper and distributing said load uniformly on the ground as the wheelbarrow is moved forwardly thereover, means on the hopper engageable with the bottom for releasably securing said bottom in closed position, and means for releasably connecting the bottom to the frame for adjusting said bottom for regulating the discharge of the load, the free end portion of said bottom, when the adjusting means is released being engageable with the ground to be dragged thereover and agitated thereby for shaking remnant portions of the load from said bottom, the lastnamed means including a keeper mounted on the frame, and a chain having one end connected to the bottom and comprising links selectively engageable with the keeper for supporting said bottom in adjusted positions, said chain further providing means for manually returning the bottom to closed position.

4. A wheelbarrow comprising a wheel supported frame, a hopper mounted on said frame and including a front wall, a rear wall and a vertically swingable bottom having one end hingedly connected to said front wall, a generally U-shaped, horizontal fixture secured on said rear wall and projecting rearwardly therefrom, an upstanding guide tube on the bight portion of the fixture communicating therewith, a guide pulley mounted in said bight portion ofsaid fixture below said tube, an abutment exten ling between the legs of the fixture, a latch pivotally suspended from said rear wall, said latch being operable in the fixture and engageable with the free end portion of the bottom for releasably securing same in closed position beneath the hopper, a coil spring in the fixture between the abutment and the latch for actuating the latter to operative position, and a flexible strand slidable through the tube and trained under the pulley and connected to the latch for retracting same against the tension of the spring for releasing the bottom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 139,823 Schneider June 10, 1873 194,333 Cole Aug. 27, 1877 339,869 Eskew Apr. 13, 1886 406,449 King July 9, 1889 1,070,308 Tyler Aug. 12, 1913 1,287,473 Shooter Dec. 10, 1918 1,420,315 Herbst et a1 June 20, 1922 1,430,155 Creel Sept. 26, 1922 1,759,677 Wine May 20, 1930 1,768,227 Wine June 24, 1930 1,768,302 Wine June 24, 1930 1,790,296 Wine Jan. 27, 1931 2,546,030 Grewe Mar. 20, 1951 2,589,694 Hines Mar. 18, 1952 2,766,063 Greeley Oct. 9, 1956 

